


Come Be My Teacher

by icaruspl



Series: Denial is Not Just a River in Egypt [2]
Category: SHINee, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Egypt, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Companion Piece, Kim Namjoon | RM is Whipped, Kim Seokjin | Jin is a Sweetheart, M/M, Mentioned Choi Minho, Mentioned Kim Heechul, Mentioned Kim Kibum | Key, Mentioned Lee Taemin, Prequel, Prince Kim Namjoon | RM, Student Kim Namjoon | RM, Teacher Kim Seokjin | Jin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-12
Updated: 2020-02-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 19:00:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22680628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/icaruspl/pseuds/icaruspl
Summary: “I’ve gone through as many tutors as there are months,” Namjoon tells Kibum, dropping his head against his table. An anatomical sketch sticks to his dimpled cheek. “Tell me, cousin. Am I too much to handle?”“Is it your fault that Ra burdened you with such an enormous brain? No,” Kibum replies jokingly.
Relationships: Kim Namjoon | RM/Kim Seokjin | Jin
Series: Denial is Not Just a River in Egypt [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1586974
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45





	1. 1

Namjoon’s tutor quits.

“He says that you already know everything,” Kibum explains, leaning against the entryway. “Looking at the state of this place, I think he’s right.”

Namjoon looks around the royal classroom and winces; it’s been a long time since he’s had it cleaned up. Piles of books and scrolls fill every corner of the cluttered room. The walls are covered in overlapping star charts, geographical maps, and mathematical graphs. Various iterations of shadow clocks— Namjoon’s latest obsession— sit on every desk.

“I’ve gone through as many tutors as there are months,” Namjoon tells Kibum, dropping his head against his table. An anatomical sketch sticks to his dimpled cheek. “Tell me, cousin. Am I too much to handle?”

“Is it your fault that Ra burdened you with such an enormous brain? No,” Kibum replies jokingly.

“Nflrgh,” Namjoon grunts.

“You know, I’ve always believed in learning from real life instead of books,” Kibum says, pulling Namjoon’s arm to hoist him up. “So I say let’s go out of the palace and explore!”

“But I just toured the entire city yesterday,” Namjoon says confusedly, eyebrows furrowing.

“Processions don’t count, cousin, especially if it’s in your honor,” Kibum says, rolling his eyes as he leads them towards the throne room. “Come now, I for one know your father is a fan of mingling with the masses.”

—-

“What a splendid idea!” Heechul exclaims, clapping. “Just make sure you bring a guard with you. Your guard Taemin will do. No— Minho is a better choice. His face blends better with the crowd.”

Kibum manages to suppress his snicker, while Namjoon asks, “And what about my education, father?”

“Until we find a suitable replacement, consider Egypt as your classroom,” Heechul decrees. “Kibum knows our land enough to act as guide, don’t you, nephew?”

“From the backwaters to the brothels, my king,” Kibum affirms, looking at Namjoon. “Ready to experience the real world, Namjoonie?”

“To be honest, no,” Namjoon says, slightly panicked at Kibum’s words.

—-

Their excursion along the Nile is a pleasant surprise.

Namjoon observes its clear waters in awe as he runs his hands through the gentle current. The river that particular summer afternoon is teeming with the type of wildlife Namjoon has only seen in illustrations— lungfish, hippopotami, turtle. To be able to observe them in their habitat, while the sun shines on his back and the trees sway with the wind, brings Namjoon a sense of peace.

Then, Namjoon notices a tall, broad shouldered man in white, walking by the riverbanks.

He is the most beautiful human Namjoon has ever seen. His almond-shaped eyes are like oases in a desert of smooth sand, his lips red like rubies. The man, for some reason, turns around and glances at him. Namjoon, at that moment, feels as if time had been dipped in amber.

As Namjoon stands dumbstruck, the man continues to walk further until he disappears back into the city. The spell is broken when Namjoon feels an elbow nudge him on the side, bringing him back to reality.

“He’s gone, cousin,” Kibum says gently.

“I... I just stood here like a fool,” Namjoon replies, a little heartbroken. “I didn’t even approach him.”

Minho, who has been largely ignored for the better part of their journey, pipes up. “Your highness, do you believe in destiny?”

Namjoon wonders where their guard is going with this. “No, it’s mathematically unproven,” he responds. “Why?”

“Well, perhaps someday you’ll change your mind,” Minho simply says, smiling.


	2. 2

The following week, Namjoon comes to the royal classroom and gasps.

“Good day, my prince. I am Seokjin, your new tutor,” the man in white greets as he bows his head. 

Namjoon just stares at him. 

“But...how?” He asks.

Seokjin smiles. “I was referred by Minho, my prince. He is a childhood friend. I am a scribe of natural sciences, mathematics, and astronomy, which I am told are your areas of interest.”

All Namjoon can do is to gape at him, at this lovely figure, who is handsome and smart and makes his heart leap out of his chest at a single glance. Is this the destiny that Minho was referring to yesterday? He asks himself.

Well...there’s only one way to find out, Namjoon thinks, a smile forming on his face. As he helps Seokjin vacate the desks of his shadow clocks, a theory begins to develop in his head, involving a set of seemingly random events and choices, all leading up to Seokjin’s sudden and hopefully, permanent presence in his life. It will take months of study and spending time with Seokjin to prove anything, but Namjoon doesn’t mind.

In fact, he can’t wait to get started on his computations.

—-

“It’s supper time,” Taemin coughs unsubtly, as the sky outside the royal classroom grows dark. Namjoon and Seokjin have spent the day buried in their equations, and have thus ignored the need for sustenance.

Namjoon looks up from his papyri and is stunned at how quickly time has passed.

“I’m sorry if I kept you, tutor. You must be famished,” Namjoon says, aghast.

Seokjin laughs, the sound squeaky and carefree. “What are you talking about, my prince? We’ve been having pi all day.”

Namjoon gives Seokjin a fond smile. It’s been half a year since Seokjin has entered his life as his royal tutor, and from his odd sense of humor to his fear of insects, everything he’s been learning about the man just makes Namjoon like him more.

And so, when Seokjin asks him if he cares for a date, Namjoon feels the air whoosh out of his lungs.

“A date?” Namjoon stammers. “You...and I? Right now?”

Seokjin chuckles, his cheeks turning pink.

“My prince, I apologize for not being clearer,” Seokjin says sheepishly. He reaches into one of the many folds in his robe and takes out a wooden box, opening it in front of Namjoon.

Dates.

“I always keep some snacks in my person, just in case I get hungry,” Seokjin explains. “Would you like one?”

He looks at the offered pieces of fruit, mortified about the misunderstanding, then back at Seokjin’s face. He’s so kind, Namjoon thinks. If Namjoon doesn’t make a move now like what happened at the Nile, he may never get another chance; destiny can only do so much.

And so, he takes a deep breath and throws caution to the wind.

“How about we eat supper at the dining hall instead?” Namjoon offers.

—-

Namjoon could get used to this, he thinks amusedly. He is sitting by the low dining table in front of Seokjin, who is delightfully stuffing his face with food, making appreciative noises after every bite.

“Aah, this is so good,” Seokjin exclaims, his mouth half full with honey bread. “I hope you don’t mind if I ask the kitchens for some recipes, my prince.”

“You cook?” Namjoon asks, mildly surprised.

Seokjin nods, cheeks bulging. “I’m very good at it, your majesty. Pick the most elaborate dish you can imagine and I can prepare it for you.”

Namjoon laughs. “I’ve never encountered a more confident man,” he comments. Or a more adorable one, his mind supplies.

“Well, why should I waste my time doubting myself at every turn?” Seokjin replies as he reaches for the olives.

“My father wanted me to become a merchant, just like him,” Seokjin continues. “He said I’m not smart enough to be a scribe, nor will I make enough money for a decent living. But I believed in myself.”

“And now here you are, stuck inside a messy room with me, day in, day out,” Namjoon finishes, giving him a sad smile. “I hope the outcome of your decisions is not that disappointing.”

“I get to learn alongside the greatest mind in Egypt, as well as spend time with you,” Seokjin says, smiling serenely at him. “I think there is no better outcome than that.”

Well, I think I’m in love with you, Namjoon suddenly wants to say, his heart pounding.

—-

After that night, Namjoon, for all the brains that he purportedly has, couldn’t, for the life of him, figure out the right way to tell Seokjin how he feels.

And so, he tries the only way he knows how.


	3. 3

Five months and countless sleepless nights later, Namjoon’s work is finally complete. By then, his cousin is convinced that Namjoon has already depleted the palace’s supply of papyri and ostraca.

Namjoon musters up his courage as he strides towards the royal classroom. Seeing Seokjin seated by his desk, Namjoon presents to him his work, written neatly on a set of fresh scrolls.

“The concept of destiny in relation to probability, my prince? Hmm, the probability theory has only been used in cryptography,” Seokjin says, sounding pleased as he scans the first page. “Very interesting. May I read it now?”

“If you wish,” Namjoon says nervously, taking a seat by his own desk.

Namjoon watches as Seokjin looks over his work. Namjoon doesn’t need to see the scrolls again to recall what he had written; he knows every number and word, every formula by heart.

When Seokjin’s eyes widen, his breath hitching, Namjoon knows that he’s arrived at the example. Namjoon remembers how it starts:

Take, for instance, the likelihood of Person N getting to meet the love of his life, Person S, along the Nile.

\---

By the time Seokjin is done, he places the last scroll on the desk. He walks towards Namjoon, who stands up, his face digits away from his tutor’s.

“Before I do this, I just have to ask,” Seokjin says, putting his hands on Namjoon’s shoulders. “What’s the probability of anyone walking in on us right now?”

“I don’t care,” Namjoon says abruptly, holding Seokjin by the waist. Seokjin, laughing, tilts his head up to capture Namjoon’s lips with his own.


	4. 4

Namjoon’s tutor quits.

“You already know everything, Namjoon-ah,” Seokjin complains, head resting against Namjoon’s bare chest. “Besides, your father will soon pass on the throne to you, and by then you’ll have more than enough to think about.”

“If you don’t wish to spend time with me any longer, you could just say so,” Namjoon tells him in a mock-hurt voice. He knows where this is going; Seokjin has put on this act a couple of times already. But then, they always ended up with a new branch of mathematics to explore, a new species of plant to discover.

It’s been a great couple of years by Seokjin’s side, Namjoon thinks.

“Stop being so dramatic,” Seokjin says, flicking his nipple. “I’m just being practical. There are a lot of other positions available in the palace; I can still stay.”

“I suppose,” Namjoon muses. “Any particular one you’re interested in?”

Seokjin sits up excitedly, Namjoon’s sheets pooling around his waist. “Can I apply for chief scribe? Or maybe the palace physician. I’ve always wanted to explore that field.”

Namjoon thinks about it. Seokjin will be great at either position; granted, he’s always been good at everything he sets his mind to. 

However, Namjoon already knows one role that would fit him perfectly.

“How about being the great royal husband to the future pharaoh?” Namjoon asks, trying his best to sound casual. 

Seokjin stares blankly at him.

“What?”

Namjoon sits up as well, until he is face to face with Seokjin.

“I can’t imagine ever loving another person,” Namjoon admits shyly, holding Seokjin’s hand. “You’re so kind and loving, funny and smart and generous. I’m so lucky to have you. If you say yes, our children and Egypt would be lucky to have you, too.”

“Oh, Namjoon-ah...”

Namjoon ducks his head. “I suppose it’s a big ask, because my situation is complicated with the heirs and all, but we can figure things out, right? We always do...”

“Namjoon.”

Namjoon stops his rambling and looks at Seokjin, whose smile is as bright as the sun.

“I accept your proposal,” Seokjin says, pushing Namjoon back on the bed.

“Really?” Namjoon asks, surprised and elated at the same time. “That’s it?”

Seokjin climbs on top of him and begins to pepper his body with kisses.

“Do you want us to keep talking, or...?”

Namjoon laughs, shaking his head.

“One last correction before I retire as your tutor, Namjoon-ah,” Seokjin teases, grinning. He grips Namjoon’s thighs with his big hands, kisses his way down until his plush lips hover right above Namjoon’s groin.

"Wh...what's that?" Namjoon asks distractedly.

“You’re not lucky to have me,” Seokjin tells him. “You’re destined to.”

Namjoon barely has time to react before a warmth envelops him, making him see stars.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! :) Kudos and comments much appreciated!


End file.
